Glory and Grace

“Father, glorify Your name,” some heard Him say.

A cry from His heart, the Father’s greatness proclaimed.

Sound like thunder; an angel speaking;

Lack of understanding; lack of believing.

A week before His sacrifice, the Savior’s purpose drew near;

His mind in anguish, in His heart, the people He held dear.

For these He gave up His claim of royalty and fame;

For these He took the name Savior for their sin He came.

Not His hour when as man He would want to dash away,

But in the Father’s hour, as the Son, His love to proclaim.

Soul troubled, Father’s glory, Jesus gave His everything

So each person who believed, His love each would receive.

Love more than mere sentiment, more than coins, He gave;

Love most expensive that required a heaven-sent only God could pay.

A love undeserved no mere mortal could ever repay;

Love from God stamped on each believer, “Balance zero, debt is paid.”

Reluctantly we question whether to “give up” our plans

To accept this deep love, this grace, with Him take a stand.

For this purpose, He said, He came to that hour;

For this purpose, we each must choose Him or to cower.

Life in our own strength with our own design and purposes

Can lead us through darkness, sin-stain, roads never certain.

With fear, trepidation, anxiety, and pain

We walk life alone instead of calling His name.

Our pride, our sin, our pushing and shoving Him away

Causes us to falter, to fall, to question the way.

Yet, life full and certain, darkness chased away

Comes with humility, repentance, accepting His pain.

His pain chosen freely because of the Father’s love;

His love given freely, He came down from above.

A love so extreme, for each person so certain

Because He’s Creator, Savior, the breaker of sin’s curse.

How can we fathom a love so great and free

When we never knew, never gave, could not conceive?

It’s more than a statement, more than a lavish, extreme gift.

It came through a Life’s blood, puncture, and anguish.

What greater love can we deem of such great a depth,

Than what Jesus said, a life for a life, a breath for breath?

Still our life for another’s isn’t enough to redeem;

Only Jesus’ life offered can a person make clean.

Cleaned from the stain of a person’s wrong choices.

Washed from the darkness of guilt that haunts us.

Better breathing anew with light for the dark way;

Jesus’ death gives new life, guidance, protection each day.

A death of one sin-free, no need to endure pain,

Yet, He chose because of love to provide a way

For people travel-weary, guilt-laden, sin-stained,

To live with God, be released, proclaim His great name.

This kind of love, once-given, no remittance required

Comes from depth of heart only God can provide.

We receive what’s undeserved, unable to remit;

We give what we have, a grateful heart, love, and obedience.

This depth of love is grace, undeserved and free

For the sin-stained person who turns, repents, and believes.

Jesus, the Son of God, come down because of love

Saves from sin, redeems from death, renews us within.

Grace so much greater than all our sin,

Once given, never rescinded, gives new heart within.

Love only God could provide in such unfathomable depth.

Jesus, His purpose, to that hour, God He glorified to His last breath.

Though unable to offer love at the depth of His grace,

We show our love, His love, with our obedience.

Whether lifted up or cast down by troubles and trials,

As Jesus’ followers, our voices lifted, God glorified.

Oft considered foolish and weak by people refusing to believe,

God’s people, Jesus’ followers, allow His wisdom to be seen.

What’s folly to one man, for others is wise.

What’s weakness in stance is God’s greatness in other’s eyes.

God’s grace given, His love perfect and free

Came through the Son’s death upon crossed-tree.

A love shown with His life at greatest of price,

Requires nothing of us but faith, confession; our heart and life.

He will swallow up death for all time,

And the Lord God will wipe tears away from all faces,

And He will remove the reproach of His people from all the earth;

For the Lord has spoken.

And it will be said in that day,

‘Behold, this is our God for whom we have waited that He might save us.

This is the LORD for whom we have waited;

Let us rejoice and be glad in His salvation.’  Isaiah 25:8-9 [NASB])

 

(For more, read John 12:27-50, John 15:13, & 1 Corinthians 1:18-31)